


Words on the Page, Books on the Shelf

by ThaFost



Category: The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Bookstore, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-14
Updated: 2013-03-14
Packaged: 2017-12-05 07:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/720254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThaFost/pseuds/ThaFost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Phil Coulson just can't work up the nerve to talk to the guy who runs his local bookstore. So instead he just buys too many books there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Words on the Page, Books on the Shelf

Phillip Coulson had a problem. It wasn’t a very big problem really, but every time he drove by the bookstore, he had to go in. Every time he’d sneak a glance at the cashier, and every time he’d feel himself blush if there was a certain young man sitting there looking positively radiant.

Or maybe that was the fact someone put a skylight above the cashier’s stand.

Today was no different than the others day when Phil drove home from his studio after a long day of work. He popped in and found himself almost immediately distracted by the other man. The blonde had looked up, and Phillip had to duck into the science fiction section to hide in his shame. After a few moments recomposing himself, Phil looks around earnestly, finding a few choice titles that may be interesting, and useful.

As he takes them up to the register, he notices that the place is fairly empty, in fact they might even be alone. It makes him nervous, and he doesn’t quite know why. The man smiles at him in recognition. “You sure do read a lot.”

“Part of the job.” It truly is, although not quite as much as Phil’s bank account reflects. “You work at a bookstore, do you read much...?” Smooth Phil, you don’t even know his name do you, and you’re practically stalking the poor man.

“Oh yes, I’m rather fond of this new author we’re going to have a signing here next month by. Lance Wensleydale? Does all those superhero/spy organization books?” Phil chuckles to himself. “Anyway, he’s agreed to do his first signing here. He’s not much for publicity, the guy doesn’t even put his picture in the back cover like most do now.”

“Perhaps, he enjoys life the way it is, when you’re just somebody, and not a somebody.” The other man’s hands still as they slip Phil’s books into the bag.

“Yeah. Anyways, have a good day Mr. Coulson.”

“You... You too.” Phil takes the bag from the man’s hands and heads for the door.

“Steve!” Blurts the other man. “My name. It’s Steve.”

In the car ride home Phil keeps thinking over everything he has scheduled over the next month, and knows that he’ll be spending a good deal of time in that silly little bookstore.

The next morning however, his agent calls him shortly after the dawn breaks to hassle him.

“Nick, you’ll get the next five chapters when they’re _done_. Now don’t you have those new writers to cultivate? Barton and Romanov? Go bother them.” Phil rubs at his eyes. He really wished his agent would calm down sometime in this century. His book wasn’t due to print for three more months, he only has the last five chapters to proof and edit one last time.

“Barton keeps writing novels about the circus, and Romanov is aiming novels towards preteen girls about ballerinas. I’d much rather bother you right about now. You’re my one good man. You haven’t been spending too much time trying to catch that eye of the man at the bookstore again have you?”

“No sir,” Phil lies. It’s as easy as breathing now. “Who told you about that anyway?”

“Pepper.” Of course Pepper told his agent he was pining for Steve. What else was a personal assistant/friend you threw money at to arrange things for you, for?

“...his name is Steve. And he loves Lance Wensleydale’s works.” Phil resists sighing into the phone’s receiver.

“Of course he does, everyone loves those books. Now, when can we finish up this next book of yours?” Nick’s voice sounds strained, and Phil feels bad for putting him off.

“Hopefully before next week, but don’t rush me. You know I feel better editing my own works.”

He can hear Nick’s warm laughter fill the call. “Alright, now don’t make me drive to your house and pull a _Misery_. Finish it. And don’t forget the thing next month.”

“No sir. Won’t be forgetting that.” Phil smiles widely. “I’ll be there with bells on. Now I’ve got to go now, or I won’t have any pants on by the time Pepper barges into my house. I think that’s a no-no on her list. I think that’s rule 113 A. Pants.”

“Tony wouldn’t like that.”

“Tony can suck it... sir.”

“But we both know he probably won’t.” Phil feels himself groan as he pulls him out of his bed. “Go put some clothes on Coulson.” There’s a click, and Phil tosses his phone back onto his bed.

Tony is a character. He also happens to own the publishing company that picked up Phil’s series, and he may have introduced Pepper to Tony thinking they would interact on strictly a professional level. But with Tony Stark from Stark Publishing House, nothing stays at a professional level for very long. They had a date planned before they had finished real introductions.

Phil just really wished he was better at talking to people like Tony is, he wasn't jealous that Stark was dating his best friend. Because really, Pepper wasn’t his type. He had thought about it over the past years, but decided that Pepper scared him too much to go for.

Especially since her contract stipulates that she carries the taser in their working relationship, and boy does he miss Mjolnir. One of his first fans had traded the taser for an autograph. Phil had been a little shocked, no pun intended, that someone had actually known who he was.

Thor had turned out to be one of Tony’s old buddies, but Phil hadn’t cared that Tony had set it up. Mjolnir was well worth it, as it had saved him during a mugging the next day. But when his books began to be more popular, and he could actually ‘hire’ Pepper, he let her have any stipulations in the contract she wanted, and she got the taser. He did get several perks though, for one thing he gets to hang out with her every other day, and she gets to tell him when he needs to do publicity things.

He tries to stick around in the New York area for things, but she has him convinced that some out of state events are important. But he really wants to stay low key so he can go to Comic Con and not have to worry about getting recognized.

Everyone loves Comic Con, or at least he tells himself that.

After he’s showered and put on his pants, Pepper lets herself in and finds him in the kitchen. “So, Pep. What’s our schedule?”

“Nick called. How’s your editing going?”

“Decently.” Phil pauses. “But really, how’s our schedule looking?”

“You’ve got nothing too big brewing until after your next book comes out in six months. Except that one signing.” He smiles to himself. “But other than that, we’re going to spend our days going over presentational issues you’ve had recently...” Phil avoids her eye contact. “Yes I’m talking about your Rainbow tie.”

“I don’t want to hide who I am.” Phil says quietly.

“Oh no, do wear the tie, just not with the navy suit, that clashes so horribly. I don’t care if you broadcast everything, just do it fashionably.” He can feel his face warm. He hadn’t meant to wear it with the navy suit, he’d just hadn’t looked hard enough in the morning light, and grabbed that one instead of the black. “Anyway, Might I suggest the light grey suit next time?”

“I was really hoping to be a bit casual at this next signing.”

Pepper rolls her eyes, and sits down at the kitchen’s bar area. “Does this have anything to do with that beautiful young owner the place has?”

Phil turns away and sets to get breakfast for them going. “Benedict okay?”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Also, yes, Eggs Benedict sounds fabulous. Have you just tried, y’know, asking him for his phone number or something?” Pepper sounds so rational. It should be an easy thing.

“You talked with him, could you ask him for his number?” Phil asks digging out a lemon from the back of the fridge.

“Well, one, dating someone right now, two, we’re not talking about me a personal assistant. We’re talking about you, Phillip Coulson, author, millionaire, and socially awkward wooer. Just tell him who you are. Or rather who you say you are on your books.”

“Yeah, Hey this is crazy, and I just kind of not really met you, but here’s my number, I’m Lance Wensleydale.” Phil sighs as he pulls out some ham. “Like he’s going to believe the dude who comes to his bookstore and pulls off random books from the shelves to add to his bookshelf is a somewhat reclusive author who uses a nom de plume in the age of the internet. I mean, really, who’s going to go for that?” He sets the eggs down on the counter.

“Phil. You’re a total dreamboat. Just go for it. I say this as a totally platonic friend.”

“Thanks.” He looks at the ingredients set on the counter. “Now why am I even making breakfast, what do I even pay you for?”

“Helping set you up to woo Mr. Handsome.” Phil nods to this thoughtfully. 

“Okay, I can cook.”

It’s after breakfast when he let’s Pepper through his closet to veto any potential signing outfits. She takes joy in squashing everything he has picked out. She throws together one of his button up plaid shirts with a pair of jeans. “There you go, casual but not too casual. No tee shirts. Never. Just remember Two buttons.”

“Two buttons?” Phil asks a bit behind.

“Two buttons is the best amount of buttons undone. For you at least. Any more than that and it comes off a little creepy at a public event. All the way up isn’t casual enough. Remember, you want to give enough time that each person feels like you’ve really connected without cheating everyone else.”

“This isn’t our first rodeo Pep.” He puts the hanger with the approved outfit into the closet on his event side. Sometimes having a place to yourself pays off, as it meant a whole walk in closet to himself. “I’ve done a signing before.”

“Don’t spend half an hour talking to Mr. Rogers.”

“Is that Steve’s last name?” Phil asks trying not to let his hands shake. He stuffs them into his pockets, trying to hide his nervousness. The other man wasn’t even here.

“Yes, Steven Rogers runs the bookstore, and is apparently a member of your fanclub’s website.” She pauses for effect. “He may have mentioned that he’s joined a costume group and he goes as Captain America... whose physical description is based on him isn’t that right?” Pepper is almost glowing in her happiness. “You need to date this man so hard.”

“That... that is why I am a writer, because normal people say things like that.” Phil says exiting his closet and trying not to feel Pepper’s smile burn a hole in the back of his shirt. He feels like he’s not going to get any peace until after the signing, and it’s probably a bit of his own fault. But when that bookstore contacted Pepper about an event, he couldn’t say no.

“Well, I guess I’ll just have to tease you about this for another month then.”

“Hurray.” Phil sweeps out of his room, back into an impressive living room for New York living. He didn’t do much with his money, but he enjoyed his nice living quarters. Most of his writing takes place in a studio he rents that looks across to Staten Island. It’s tiny, but it’s free of distractions, so his days there are actually spent writing or editing instead of searching the internet.

“Now don’t you run off, we need to go over your rules for things. Are you still con photo ops?” Pepper always asks him about it, and he’s just not ready for that. He likes being able to buy groceries at nearly midnight without having to put himself together. Not that most authors get mobbed. Phil just feels like if he comes out and becomes the persona, he won’t be himself anymore. 

“Let’s put it down to if anyone asks, we’ll say yes. But no clinging?” Phil thinks he can deal with that decision. Pepper smiles at his response. “Don’t let them mob me.”

“Well, I won’t let most of them mob. Just the pretty one.” Pepper slinks away to lounge on Phil’s couch.

“I thought you said no preferential treatment?”

“Just timewise. If you want to take him back to your place after... go ahead.” He knows she’s being entirely serious, but Phil just can’t imagine that scenario playing out well. “But, I’m just your assistant, not your matchmaker.”

“Good.”

It takes Phil three weeks to finish his editing for his next book. It means that Nick Fury calls him every morning at the crack of dawn to harass him personally.

But finally _The New York Invasion_ is finished, and sent off to Stark Publishing House to be readied for printing. Phil takes his first day off from the job as a bookstore day and decides he needs to see what the competition's up to.

It’s not as if there’s too much competition in the superhero genre novel wise, just a few people trying to weasel in on him. They don’t seem to have the same charm, or at least the American people don’t seem to like them as much. Not that Phil’s glad he has a monopoly on their attentions. It would be nice to have a group together to collaborate works with.

Although, he knew Barton and Romanov already, he should just do something with them. He files a note away on his phone to contact them about writing collaborative novels in the future, before walking into the bookstore. He’s picked a poor time, because for once, it is absolutely packed.

There are children all over the place, and Phil realizes that it’s probably a field trip of some kind. There’s a charming man trying to quiet them down as they crowd the shelves of picture books looking for books that catch their eye. As he walks through his normal sections, Phil ends up in an aisle parallel to dark haired man trying to wrangle the children.

“Mister Banner, I want this one!” Shouts one of the boys. The man crouches down to the boy’s height so he can look at the book in his hands. His eyes light up as he smiles, and Phil can’t help but watch.

“The Friendly Witch? I think it’s on the list Billy, you can get it.” The little boy shrieks with happiness, and pulls the book close to his chest. “Now remember, say thank you when you take it up to the counter. It’s so very nice of Mister Rogers to give us all these books.”

Steve was giving a class full of children free books. Phil didn’t want to swoon, but these things just happen sometimes. He carefully retrieves a few books haphazardly, and makes his way to the counter. It’s as he approaches that he realizes his first novel in the stack is one of his own. As he gets close to the register, he notices the school kids are starting to line up with their books. The dark haired boy with the witch book stands happily at the head of the line. Mr. Banner counts the children, as a parent or two try and keep them in line, but Phil has to turn away as he gets to placing his books on the counter. On the counter is a stack of fliers about the signing event the next Friday.

“Lance Wensleydale, eh? Going to get this signed next week?” Steve asks. Phil doesn’t know what to say.

“I. I’m... I’m planning on coming, but I don’t think I’ll get anything signed.” Phil retreats from telling Steve the truth about why he’s going to be there. He doesn’t want to say it yet. “I heard that you’re giving the kids free books, do you do that often?”  
Steve smiles, and Phil can feel his heart beat extra firmly once, before returning to it’s regular rhythm. “I try to find small classes that can really use a book for all of the kids. But it’s hard on the bankroll, but luckily since Wensleydale’s coming next week, I’ll have a good uptick in sales. I can maybe do an extra one next quarter.” He’s finished scanning the books, and he prompts Phil for the payment. Their hands brush as Phil hands him his money, and Phil smiles for a moment.

“I’ll see you next week Steve. Or sooner. If I read all of these.”

“Yeah. See you Phil. Now, How can I help you Mr. Banner?” He’s turned to the conga line of excitement and childhood already, and Phil shuffles out but not before he notices the teacher taking a flyer for signing.

When he gets home, Phil lays on his couch and screams into his pillow in frustration. He’s a writer because he can’t just say those beautiful things at the right moment. He figures them out hours or days later in a deadline fueled panic. Deadline fueled panics might not be romantic, but boy do they get the bills paid. After Phil feels better about his failed social interaction, he slips his own book out of the bag of books, and tosses it across the room. _From Russia, With Brainwashing_ makes a lovely noise as it thuds across the room. If only manhandling Black Widow’s origin story would make him better at romancing, he could be a playboy. It doesn’t do much good, and he knows he really ought to get up and do something.

Really, his only options were crappy television and crappier food. His novel is finished, his next one isn’t due for two years, and unless he figures out how to collaborate with Barton or Romanov, he doesn’t really have to do anything until next Friday. It’s not like a ballerina assassin was going to fall out of the sky and join The Avengers.

Unless she already had.

Phil sat up, and grabbed for his phone. He dialed Romanov immediately.

“Cheese? This better be good, I’m in the zone right now.”

“Good. What do you think of doing a Black Widow collaborative novel where she’s undercover as a ballerina?”

“...if you could get Stark to buy it, I’d totally be in for that.”

“Alright, I’ll talk to you later then. Go write.”

“Catch you later. See you at the signing. Wanna meet this man.”

“Did Pep tell everyone?”

“Yes.” A faint click meant that he was alone again.

“What do I even pay that woman for, if not discretion?” Phil asks the silent room around him.

Thankfully it does not answer him.

The morning of the signing comes quickly, and Phil is a bundle of nervous energy. It’s not his first signing, but he really wants to make a good impression. Pepper reminds him that he’s supposed to be there at seven, but he can’t wait that long. She rolls her eyes as he drives her to the bookstore extra early, a silent companion in his beat up car he loves dearly. As he changes the station reflexively, he flips through several songs until he finds one that’s deep in his memories, to the core of his youth.

“ _You’d think that people would have had enough of silly little love songs..._ ” Phil whispers under his breath. “Y’know, who all is coming, and when do I have to reveal my secret identity?”

“Tony’s going to come because he wants to see you struggle. Also it’s date night. Um, I’m guessing some of your fans are going to come...” Phil snorts at this. “I know, not what you were asking. Clint and Natasha said they might drop by. Also, I don’t think you’ll have to go all Batman until seven. Which is good, because it’s like five thirty.” As he pulls into the drive, Pepper smiles. “I didn’t know it was so quaint.”

The building was an old brick building, A sign atop the place had held many names in the past, but now it beams happily Lorem Ipsum. Phil gets out happily, and leads Pepper into the bookstore.

“Welcome! Oh, hey Phil---” Steve was a bit busy with a stack of chairs on a rolling rack, but he stopped dead as Pepper caught his eye. “Oh. Is this, your girlfriend?” Pepper’s laugh is high and light, and he can hear the gears turning in her head.

“I’m his friend. But I’m taken. Unlike Phillip.” Pepper pushes him forward, but Phil stops after a step.

“Do you need help with that Steve?” Steve looks blank for a moment before looking at the chairs in his hands.

“Oh. Yeah, if you could help set up the chairs that’d be awesome. I figured it would make everyone a bit happier about the wait. Or I guess he could talk for a while, I haven’t really hosted one of these. I’m not even sure why he’s coming here. I sent an email to his assistant on a whim. Do you think he’ll like it here?” Phil feels a pang of something in his chest as he pulls the first chair off the rack.

“I’m sure he’ll love it here.” Phil says trying not to let the unspoken, _Like I do_ ring through the air, but Steve smiles and ducks his head, so Phil’s not sure if he succeeded or not.

They set the chairs up in a section that normally has a few tables set up with sale items or new releases. The tables are set up in the back, displaying Phil’s books proudly. One chair sits by itself at the table, intended to be his, and from this distance Phil can see that it’s a bit plusher than the folding ones they are setting up. He follows Steve’s lead as they set the rows of chairs up, placing them with an aisle in the middle for mobility. The time passes quickly, and eventually others filter into the bookstore.

A young mother with her son who got a free book sit in the front. She tells Steve that her son makes her read Phil’s books to him for bedtime. Thankfully, she mentions she skips some of the scenes. Phil makes a mental note to find an artist to try and make a few children’s books in the universe. He had forgotten that children are generally ones who flock to such heroes. As an adult, sometimes you just forget things about children, and what it was like to be one. Mister Banner the school teacher comes in from the cold, unwrapping a scarf from his neck and finding a seat near the front. Strangers pass Phil, and he tries not to make it look like he’s Lance yet. Looking around, he finds Pepper in one of the rows of books, and he goes to her. “Do you want to save some seats?” He asks this softly, sometimes she sits with him at his desk for these things, but if Tony’s coming they should get seats.

“Sure. I should sit in the back though. So I can let your fans see you up close.” Phil frowns, but he goes with her towards the back of the chairs, putting his coat over one for Tony. “When are you going to, y’know?” Pepper whispers, but he can swear some of the other people swivel to listen.

“Eventually.”

It’s when insufferable Tony Stark shows up in an Aston Martin, and comes in wearing a ten thousand dollar suit that Phil realizes the flaw in his plan. Lance Wensleydale doesn’t show his face, so he can be anyone, even Tony Stark. People turn around to clap, and Tony practically eats it up with a spoon. “Thank you, thank you everybody.” He comes to where Phil is sitting with Pepper. “You’re in _my_ spot.” Pepper gives a low sigh of frustration. Steve comes forward, taking Tony’s hand in a firm grip and shaking it while trying to form words.

“Mr. Wensleydale, we. We’re. So glad. Hi. Um.” Tony extracts his hand carefully from Steve’s.

“Steve? Right. My name, is Tony Stark of Stark Publishing House.” Phil stands awkwardly, and Tony clasps his arm. “This here, is Lance Wensleydale.” Tony leans in to Steve to whisper, “He’s shy.”

“Phil?” Steve asks a little astonished.

“Well, yes. But. My penname is Lance Wensleydale.” Phil can’t quite meet Steve’s eyes, so he looks away, to see most of the audience watching him, and talking to each other a little stunned. “So, I’m guessing you want me to sit up front now?”

Steve nods, and Phil grabs his coat from Tony’s chair. He follows Steve to the front of the bookstore, and sits down in the slightly cushioned seat. As he sinks down he’s sure he’ll be thankful for the padding at the end of the night. His eyes are drawn forward to look at the crowd in front of him. There’s still ten minutes, but most of the chairs are full already, and there’s someone standing in the back looking around for someone. She takes her hood down, releasing a head of ridiculous red hair, and he’s sure it’s Natasha. They meet eyes, and he tilts his head to where Pepper and Tony are sitting, and Natasha goes that direction happily. Remembering his conversation with her, he pulls his phone from his pocket and texts Tony.

_Hey, can Tasha and I write a novel together where Black Widow is undercover as a ballerina?_

He sends it off, and waits patiently for Tony to get the message. Tony’s face is momentarily confused, before he mulls over the idea. A quick thumbs up across the now crowded room is all he needs. He texts Natasha that it’s on, and he can see her smile before looking around for Clint again. Of course, it wouldn’t be Clint without something holding him up and him showing up late. As Steve gets up to do an introduction, Clint walks in sopping wet from a sudden downpour, he spies Natasha and Pepper easily as two redheads together are quick to find.

“Apparently, Lance Wensleydale is a penname. Had I known that, I wouldn’t have gushed all about him, to this man, who happens to be Lance Wensleydale. Because I’m pretty sure he knows how awesome his works are. He might be mostly known for his superhero novels, but he also has several detective novels, as well as a few science fiction novels. And he really likes buying books here. It’s nice to welcome him here tonight, Mr. Wensleydale.”

Phil smiles, and there’s a smattering of applause. There’s a microphone set up in front of him, and he hears it whisper to life. “I’m not sure if I can announce this yet. Tony, can I announce? The thing. The thing I texted.” At Tony’s reluctant nod, Phil feels his smile spread eagerly. “Alright, I’m going to do a collaborative novel with Natasha Romanov. And hopefully if I can convince everyone needed, maybe one with another author.”

After that, he launches into a bit of his normal speel about the universe he has created for his characters, and little snippets of what is to come in his next novel. After about half an hour, he decides to let them come up row by row to get their novels signed, and time permitting, answer questions after. Sometimes he does questions before signing, but he’s afraid that he might run out of time. People filter by, and Phil’s a little humbled by how many of them say that his novels had such a dramatic effect on their lives. How Captain America inspires them to do better, or Iron Man inspired them to quit whatever had plagued their lives at the time. It still amazes him that anyone likes his novels enough to buy them, let alone let them change their lives.  
His mother doesn’t even buy his novels. Mostly because he sends her copies just so he doesn’t have to wonder if she would buy them anyway.

The school teacher is a riot. He’s brought a few books to be signed, and he accidentally mentions his url on a social networking site. When he realizes what he had said, he gapes, and turns the loveliest shade of pink. Phil astonishes him when he says, “Aren’t you the writer of The Hulk character? I like him.” Fanfiction is a big scary world, but Phil likes to keep abreast of all the most popular characters and tropes used. Not that an accidental Vegas marriage will ever show up in his novels, because he has different plans on strange marriages.

“Thank you sir. I mean. Mr. Wensleydale.”

“Phil is fine... Bruce.” The man stays pink as Phil finishes the autographing, and Phil watches him go back to his seat stunned.

 

When all the rows are done with their signing, Steve waits eagerly, and Phil waves him over. He signs them all “To my friend, and shopkeeper, Steve.” Phil really hopes that the look in Steve’s eye means he won’t turn him down if he asks him out for drinks after, but he has to finish up with everything here first.

The questions go about as well as they normally do. Several women ask about the gay subtext between characters, and he mentions that, as a gay author, he did some of that intentionally. But he definitely did not write as much subtext as the internet has found in his novels. There’s a ripple of laughter after he mentions that, but the fangirls seem appeased. Apparently as out as he was the internet had not been informed. It was true, that he hadn’t said it directly at any of his signings or events, but he hadn’t made any pretense of straightness.

Bruce asks about the possibility of opening up the universe to other writers, and Phil says that’d be up to Stark Publishing House, but that he’d put in a good word for _the other guy_ , because Banner’s writing amused Phil, or what he had read of his work.

There’s other assorted questions about his writing process, and his favorite/least favorite things. He admits to the little boy who came, that his favorite character is Captain America, because growing up he dreamt up a character that he wanted to strive to be like. Captain America started as that, but as an adult he fleshed him out. The little boy tells him, that he wants to be just like Captain America too, and that he wants to be him for Halloween, but he’s worried his shield might make it hard to carry his candy. Phil smiles at the boy, and promises himself that he’ll look into working some children’s books into the universe.

At the end of the night, Steve ushers the guests out, but lets Phil and his friends stay. Phil uses stacking chairs as an excuse, but the six of them stack the chairs quickly and easily, leaving the store mostly normal.  
Tony smiles at Phil, and gives him a big thumbs up, before linking elbows with Pepper and leaving. Clint’s hard to pin down, but he seems to get the plan, and Natasha talks with them as they leave.

“So.” Phil says when he’s alone with Steve.

“So...” Steve echoes the sound of unsureness.

“Do you want... do you want to go get some drinks?” Phil says in a rush of breath, he turns away from Steve not wanting to see the look on his face if it was unwarranted. 

“Like, a date?” At the sound of Steve’s voice being so soft, Phil turns back. There’s a small smile on the other man’s face.

“If you want.”

“I want that very much.”

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah. In this little universe, I imagine the entirety of Marvel canon falling to Phil to write, which is a lot so it's good that he realizes he needs to work with other authors.
> 
> Wiccan is of course the little boy in Bruce's class that gets the book about witches.
> 
> And I swear I'm working on that other universe I've got going. I just thought that it'd be interesting to see a world where Steve was crushing on Phil without realizing he was crushing on Phil. 
> 
> And Wensleydale is a type of cheese, and Phil Coulson went by Cheese in the comics.


End file.
